Solar module prices hit all-time low as inventories pile up

Lucas Mearian |
July 22, 2016

Photovoltaic suppliers have lowered production to survive

At that point, the photovoltaic cell is attached by a thermally conductive cement to a substrate material, such as amorphous silicon or cadmium telluride. Each cell is then wired together with others to create a solar panel that can be attached to a rooftop or used in a solar farm.

A flood of wafers, cells and modules from places such as Taiwan and China, which is also using aggressive pricing, has saturated a still relatively nascent market.

Solar cells.

So far this month, the average trading price of poly-Si wafers has dropped to 75 to 77 cents each and the average trading price is expected to eventually dip below 74 cents per wafer, Lin said.

"The [photovoltaic] cell market has suffered from depressed demand. Cell suppliers are now competing with prices that are below product costs," Lin said.